Indianapolis, Indiana Special Events/ProMT
September 25-26, 2004
Recap by Robert Haught
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
As the first of the final two days of points racing in the 2004 ProMT/Special Events championship series got going, the battle between Bigfoot and Raminator for the season championship would be heated. Both trucks still had a chance at winning, with most other points positions locked up.
The drivers were presented with a straight line course with a roller at the starting line, then a drag to the cars at the finish. The ProMT timing equipment was actually set up at the ramp for the last jump instead of at the end of the cars, so that meant the first truck to get to the last jump would win. Trucks and drivers in attendance were as follows:
-Andy Hoffman (Nitemare)*
-Andy Slifko (Eradicator)*
-Paul Shafer (Frankenstein/Monster Patrol)*
-Dan Runte (Bigfoot)
-Mark Hall (Raminator)
-Dale Benear (Rammunition)
-Doug Noelke (Big Dawg)
-Greg Adams (Summit)
-Allen Pezo (Predator)
-John Seasock (Sudden Impact)
-Mike Vaters (Black Stallion)
It was decided that the top eight trucks in overall points would race and the trucks that did not run racing would freestyle. The trucks with red *'s did not race as a result.
QUALIFYING
Racing brackets were determined by overall points as well, and the racing brackets were as follows:
1. Raminator vs. 8. Predator
3. Big Dawg vs. 6. Summit
4. Sudden Impact vs. 5. Rammunition
2. Bigfoot vs. 7. Black Stallion
RACING
ROUND 1
1. Raminator vs. 8. Predator
Mark Hall took the win over a hard-charging Allen Pezo and Predator, but it did not come without cost. Hall's RPM were very high over the cars at the finish line, and out came the tow truck for Raminator. The track announcer said that it could be a transmission problem for the big Dodge, and the crew would need to thrash to get the truck ready in time again.
WINNER-Raminator
3. Big Dawg vs. 6. Summit
Doug Noelke drilled the hole shot and settled down quickly in no man's land for the win.
WINNER-Big Dawg
4. Sudden Impact vs. 5. Rammunition
Dale Benear had a nearly identical run to Hall's in Raminator, and with the same result, a broken transmission. Rammunition took the win when Sudden Impact launched too high off the roller, but with two trucks with transmission problems, Benear's return seemed doubtful.
WINNER-Rammunition
2. Bigfoot vs. 7. Black Stallion
Dan Runte knew after seeing Raminator towed off the track that he could gain critical points toward the championship, and that is just what he did, riding a slight hole shot and keeping the power to the ground for a victory.
WINNER-Bigfoot
ROUND 2
3. Big Dawg vs. Bye Run (Raminator broke)
Big Dawg got a free pass when Raminator could not get fixed in time. There would be no taking it easy for Noelke though, and he pulled a slight wheelie on the backside of the roller on his way to the final round.
WINNER-Big Dawg
2. Bigfoot vs. Bye Run (Rammunition broke)
Neither Ram truck could be repaired, and Runte took a free ride to the finals as well. In an attempt to get lane choice for the finals, Runte ran hard in the bye, but the engine and transmission were making some unusual sounds coming over the last set of cars. It was announced that Bigfoot also had transmission problems, and Runte idled the truck to the pits under low power.
WINNER-Bigfoot
FINALS
2. Big Dawg vs. 3. Bigfoot
Runte's truck was still suffering transmission problems, but Bigfoot needed the points-A loss in the finals would net more than a no-show. Noelke and Big Dawg took an easy win, leading by about a truck and a half at the finish line.
Saturday Racing WINNER-Big Dawg
FREESTYLE
Two judges were told to "score each truck 1-9, and only rarely use that 10 card." The track had a bread truck pyramid, car-van-car, the racing cars, and a large dirt mogul for the trucks to attack.
FRANKENSTEIN/MONSTER PATROL
Paul Shafer did a few sky wheelies on the cars and got a donut going, then headed to the car-van-car setup and got over it easily. A few more sky wheelies on the cars and Monster Patrol was done.
SCORE-16
NITEMARE
Andy Hoffman did not race, but was headed to a great freestyle score before a launch over the big dirt mogul ended his run. The truck came down hard on the front two tires, snapping the tie rod. Nitemare was hauled to the side of the track and freestyle continued.
SCORE-13
ERADICATOR
Andy Slifko had installed a new blower in Eradicator for the weekend, and he used it in freestyle. Slifko came out with excellent momentum and did not let up on the gas between hits, sliding the truck around to get it lined up with his next obstacle. After a few hits on the cars and an attempted donut, Slifko cleared the car-van-car pyramid nicely, then slid around and lined up for the bread truck pyramid. Slifko barely touched the top of the bread truck with his back tires, nosing the truck over and bouncing into a beautiful slap wheelie upon landing, riding it out nicely. The crowd roared its approval as Slifko got a couple more hits in, then parked it.
SCORE-18
RAMINATOR
Hall and crew got the transmission fixed in time for freestyle, and the truck sounded much better than after his final racing run. Hall immediately spun Raminator into the best set of donuts so far, kicking up a lot of dirt and sending a charge through the crowd. Hall came to the racing cars and did a few long jumps before taking on the bread truck pyramid and climbing over it, then heading immediately to the back side of the dirt mogul and launching the truck over it. Hall cleared the cars again with a big long jump, then spun into another set of donuts that made the truck disappear in the dust and finished his run to a big ovation from the crowd.
SCORE-19
SUMMIT
Greg Adams had a relatively short run, with a few hits on the cars and a solid hit on the bread truck. A jump on the car-van-car and another hit on the racing cars and Adams was done.
SCORE-15
BLACK STALLION
Michael Vaters lived up to the "Madman" nickname with his freestyle run. Vaters started out slowly, working in a few hits on the cars, then headed to the car-van-car and cleared it completely. A solid hit on the bread truck pyramid and another run at the car-van-car were next, and then Vaters came back for the bread truck and rode out a long slap wheelie upon landing from that hit. After that, he turned around and lined up for the pyramid sideways, blasting through it and making a nice save upon landing. But that wasn't enough. Another hit on the pyramid sideways from the opposite side completed his run and left the crowd roaring and the judges declaring him the winner.
SCORE-20
BIG DAWG
Doug Noelke came out to wrap up Saturday's freestyle with a few hits on the cars and the car-van-car, then bounced up a slap wheelie on the landing from another car hit. The truck came down hard and hit one of the concrete barriers outlining the pro arena truck course, but Noelke seemed unfazed for awhile, then came to a stop in between the racing cars. The emergency staff came out to check on him and after a few minutes, Noelke emerged a bit shaken but OK.
SCORE-15
Saturday Freestyle WINNER-Black Stallion
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
The final day of points competition in ProMT/Special Events' 2004 season was a wild one. Raminator would need to get to the finals and win against Bigfoot to clinch the title. This time all 11 trucks qualified and the top eight were kept for the show. Each truck got two runs, and the best one counted.
QUALIFYING
1. Big Dawg-4.673
2. Raminator-4.877
3. Bigfoot-4.903
4. Sudden Impact-4.927
5. Monster Patrol-5.065
6. Rammunition-5.122
7. Eradicator-5.175
8. Predator-5.182
9. Nitemare-5.443*
10. Black Stallion-5.478*
11. Summit-5.574*
*-Denotes did not race.
RACING
ROUND 1
1. Big Dawg vs. 8. Predator
Predator pulled the hole shot and looked headed for a win but Noelke stood on the gas and just barely edged Pezo out at the line, winning by about a tire.
WINNER-Big Dawg
3. Bigfoot vs. 6. Rammunition
Benear made this race close at the end, really hammering the throttle over the last set of cars, but Runte pulled it out by about a half truck and moved on. The trucks looked even off the start but Bigfoot settled down just a bit quicker in no man's land. Rammunition didn't make it back to the pits-another blown transmission forced Benear's day to be over.
WINNER-Bigfoot
4. Monster Patrol vs. 5. Sudden Impact
Another very close race, with Paul Shafer getting to the ramp about a tire before Seasock. Sudden Impact actually passed Monster Patrol after the ramp, but the finish line was at the ramp, and Shafer moved on.
WINNER-Monster Patrol
2. Raminator vs. 7. Eradicator
Hall knew he had to win to have a shot at the title, and that's just what he did. The engine sounded excellent throughout the run, and this time both Ram trucks would not be finished early. Slifko broke the right rear shock upon landing and limped back to the pits for repairs. The truck was leaning hard to the right side as a result.
WINNER-Raminator
ROUND 2
1. Big Dawg vs. 3. Bigfoot
The championship could have been on the line in this race, and both drivers knew it. Noelke drilled Runte on the hole shot and led by a truck length at the finish line. Runte would have to wait and see if Raminator could make the finals and win or if Bigfoot could pull out the championship anyway.
WINNER-Big Dawg
2. Raminator vs. 4. Monster Patrol
Hall lined up in the same lane as Big Dawg, and with the same result. Shafer had trouble on the line and Raminator sailed to the finals and a shot at the title.
WINNER-Raminator
FINALS
1. Big Dawg vs. 2. Raminator
The two fastest trucks of the day met in the finals with a championship on the line for hall and team Ram and a second win in a row to close out the season on the line for Noelke and Big Dawg. Both trucks left even, then hammered the throttle for all it was worth, each getting a lot of air over the last jump. Raminator pulled away in no man's land and claimed the season title! A bit of smoke came from the engine but Hall came off the track under normal power, a lot of which he used to take the victory.
Sunday Racing WINNER and 2004 ProMT/SE Champion-Raminator
FREESTYLE
Part of a boat was brought out for freestyle, but the course remained basically the same. There were no judges this time either.
NITEMARE
Andy Hoffman closed out the weekend in style in the Nitemare Chevrolet, launching over a dirt ramp in front of the mud pit, then spinning into a nice donut. A couple of hits on the cars, then a hit on the bread truck pyramid and Hoffman had a flat left rear tire...but he didn't stop. A hit on the van pyramid, then another attempt at a donut slid Hoffman into one of the pro arena truck ramps, spraying dirt everywhere. Hoffman lined up and tried to hit the bread truck one more time but slid off and made a nice save, then ended his run.
MONSTER PATROL
Shafer kept up more momentum than his previous run, hit the car-van-car and cleared it nicely, then took out the boat on the track. A run over the bread truck pyramid and Shafer was done.
BLACK STALLION
Vaters didn't top his run from Saturday night, but had a very good run, getting two nice hits in on the bread truck pyramid and just missing a slap wheelie each time. He hit the cars a few times and kept the best momentum so far. No reverse moves but a solid freestyle from Vaters.
RAMINATOR
The final truck of the weekend would be Mark Hall and Raminator. This was by far the longest run of the weekend, highlighted by a huge jump over the dirt roller, followed by clearing the bread truck completely. Three times Hall spun donuts, the last of which covered the truck completely in dust. When the dust settled, Hall emerged from the truck (he had parked by the grandstands) and saluted the crowd to end the weekend in Indianapolis.